New inquest into Winehouse’s death

The inquest into the death of soul singer Amy Winehouse was overseen by a coroner who lacked the proper qualifications and must be heard again next month, officials said.

Assistant deputy coroner Suzanne Greenaway, who handled the inquest, resigned in November 2011 after her qualifications were questioned.

Camden Council said a new hearing has been scheduled on January 8.

"The inquest into the death of Amy Winehouse had not technically been heard," it said in a statement.

Winehouse was found dead in her London home in July 2011 at age 27. In an inquest in October 2011, Greenaway ruled that the Back to Black singer had died of accidental alcohol poisoning.

Greenaway had been appointed an assistant deputy coroner in London in 2009 by her husband, Andrew Reid, the coroner for inner north London. But she resigned after authorities learned she had not been a registered UK lawyer for five years as required by the rules.

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She had practiced law for a decade in her native Australia.

Reid was suspended, and he resigned earlier this month.

The star had been trying to straighten out her life when she died and was attempting to quit drinking. She had no alcohol throughout July, until the day before she passed away.

Winehouse family spokesman Chris Goodman said Monday that the singer's family had not requested a new hearing.

Last year's inquest heard evidence from a pathologist, Winehouse's doctor, the security guard who found her and a detective who described seeing three empty vodka bottles in her bedroom.

It appears unlikely that a second inquest would produce a different conclusion about how she died.